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“Okay. Second, please leave my office upstairs alone. I like the fact that it’s…how did you put it? Ah… ‘doctor’s office chic’. It helps me concentrate.”
“I completely understand.”
“Lastly, please keep your ringer on so you can hear when I text or call you. I know it’s selfish and a little one-sided because I’m not always available, but I need you to be. It’s just the nature of my job. Sometimes I only get a few minutes to talk.”
“Oh, I completely understand that. I’m not working or anything right now, so I cater to your schedule. It only makes sense,” I said. On the other end, Jimmy made a noise I didn’t quite catch. “Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yes, just extremely relieved that you are this agreeable. When we first met, I thought you would be a little more… argumentative, just on principle. I knowIwould have been had I found out about our fathers’ deal at the last minute. I, at least, had a week to wrap my head around marrying you.”
I snorted.
“Yeah, well don’t get used to it. You cheated and buttered me up this morning with coffee.” I teased, and he laughed some more. I really did like his laugh. It was deeper than his normal voice, and he seemed to seldom smile or laugh, which made me feel like it was a big accomplishment or something special that only I could get him to do.
“I will have to keep in mind that coffee works,” he said, and I could hear his smile. “I don’t want you to worry about grocery shopping today. I’ll send over food for you, so you can focus on getting settled and relaxing. Do you like lasagna?”
“I’m Italian,” I deadpanned, and he chuckled again.
“Fair enough. I’ll send you some for lunch, and hopefully I can pick up something on the way home for dinner. But if I’m working late, I’ll send you whatever you like.”
“Sounds great. Sounds like you are spoiling me, but it is highly appreciated.”
“Any time, Nat, any time,” he said and hung up the phone.
The nickname lit up something in my brain that made me smile. He was giving me nicknames. Funny enough, that meant more to me than the money he had been talking about. It meant that he was being friendly, and he liked me. That was helpful, especially in a marriage, I had heard.
But then again, I was no expert.
Chapter 13
Jimmy
Thepastfewweekshad gone by in a blur. I had spent more time in the office than at home, which was usual, but it wasn’t as easy now. I found myself wanting to be at home with her.
We got to know each other a little bit more every day. I found out quickly that, not only did she paint, but her paintings were amazing. She had brought most of her finished paintings and put them up around the house, and even just that addition livened up the place. She was extremely talented, and I suggested that we start putting them up around the office and throughout the building as well. She was on board with the project, but I also think she was a little intimidated. She painted for fun and not work, but I could tell she also wanted to sell her paintings. I would help her with whatever she needed. She just needed to be ready and willing to accept help.
Lucky for me, Ivar hadn’t come back yet. I had given Daniel the money a few days before his deadline, and he thanked me profusely but still wouldn’t tell me what it was for. I had asked once but didn’t press the issue. That wasn’t something you wanted to do to a mafioso—even if the one in question was your little brother.
I made a few deals, sold some more companies, and threw a lot of money into the community outreach program. My father wasn’t too happy about it at first, but when I explained the benefits to him, he backed off. He got a little twitchy about money sometimes, and I thought it might have come from his younger years when he and his family had been poor. He had gone into the Mafia as a teenager because he knew it would be steady money when there were no other jobs to take. Sometimes, his childhood experiences made him a bit too greedy.
One afternoon, I was filling out all the information for a benefit event that one of the divisions of the company was putting on when I heard my text notification go off. I didn’t even have to look at it to know it was Nat. It made me smile every time she texted me.
Nat: Hey, are you working late again tonight?
Me: It’s looking like I might have to, why?
Nat: Oh I was just planning on making ravioli and garlic bread for dinner and thought you might want to join me. Like a date
Me: Oh, that is super tempting. From scratch?
Nat: You know it
This woman seriously knew how to tempt me. She had started upping her culinary skills by watching cooking shows during the day and experimenting with different dishes. I was nearly late to work one morning because she had made homemade cinnamon rolls. They were to die for, and the teriyaki chicken and rice dish she had made a few days prior was still on my mind. For the first time, I had actually been sad that there weren't any leftovers.
Me: I’ll be there
I worked for the next two hours non-stop to make deadlines and such when, finally, I called it a day. Caroline was still at her desk eating a protein bar as she typed away on her computer. When she saw me, she stood up, straightening her very low-cut V-neck top.
“Mr. Morelli! Can I help you with something?” she asked. I smiled at her.
